Macron says recognizing a Palestinian state 'not a taboo' for France (www.lemonde.fr)
Russian lawmakers approve bill to confiscate assets of people who 'discredit' the army (abcnews.go.com)
The lower house of Russia’s parliament has approved a bill that would allow the confiscation of money, valuables and other assets from those convicted on charges of spreading “deliberately false information” about the country’s military...
Biden’s response to Jordan attack is likely to be powerful, but US is wary of triggering a wider war with Iran, officials say (www.cnn.com)
The US’ response to the drone attack in Jordan that killed and wounded US service members on Sunday is likely to be more powerful than previous American retaliatory strikes in Iraq and Syria, officials told CNN, though the Pentagon and White House are being careful not to telegraph the administration’s plans....
Rape trial for IDF man (www.thejc.com)
One of the IDF’s most prominent combat commanders has been charged with rape and sexual assault....
Over 2,000 shell companies have directors aged 123 years or older, Moody’s found. The oldest known human lived to 122 (fortune.com)
Moody’s Analytics has found 21 million “red flags” associated with shell companies that could be used to enable financial crimes, from ancient directors to dubious addresses....
Sky News Makes On-Air Apology After Presenter Compared Israel’s War In Gaza To The Holocaust (deadline.com)
Ecuador police destroy over 20 metric tons of cocaine (news.yahoo.com)
QUITO (Reuters) - Ecuadorean Police on Thursday destroyed some 21.5 metric tons of cocaine which they seized over the weekend as part of a military offensive declared by the government to combat organized crime....
Groundwater depletion accelerating in many parts of the world, study finds (english.elpais.com)
Iran executes man, 23, with mental health condition over Mahsa Amini protests (www.independent.co.uk)
France Rejects Genocide Accusations Against Israel in Gaza (www.nytimes.com)
“To accuse the Jewish state of genocide is to cross a moral threshold,” France’s foreign minister said on Wednesday....
Drought Touches a Quarter of Humanity, U.N. Says, Disrupting Lives Globally (www.nytimes.com)
Germany: Sahra Wagenknecht launches new political party (www.dw.com)
The former Left Party politician presented her team at a press conference in Berlin. It aims to defy labels with a mix of left-leaning economic, conservative migration and pro-Russian foreign policy initiatives....
Denmark’s Crown Princess Mary to become first Australian-born Queen (www.cnn.com)
The fairy tale rise of an Australian sales executive to the upper ranks of European royalty is set to be completed later this month when Crown Princess Mary Elizabeth of Denmark becomes the country’s Queen Consort....
Israel’s Supreme Court overturns a key component of Netanyahu’s polarizing judicial overhaul (www.politico.com)
Israel’s Supreme Court on Monday struck down a key component of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s contentious judicial overhaul, a decision that threatens to reopen the fissures in Israeli society that preceded the country’s ongoing war against Hamas....
Taiwan considers joining international criminal court to deter potential China invasion (www.theguardian.com)
Joining court would allow investigation of Xi Jinping if he were to order act of war against Taiwan...
Venice to ban large tourist groups and loudspeakers (www.bbc.com)
Venice is to ban loudspeakers and tourist groups of more than 25 people, in a bid to ease the impact of mass tourism on the Italian city....
Revealed: how US residents are funding illegal settlements in the West Bank (www.theguardian.com)
Iceland volcano erupts on Reykjanes Peninsula (www.ruv.is)
Australia denounces Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank (www.abc.net.au)
Australia joins more than a dozen countries and the EU in expressing "grave concern" over violent attacks by settlers.
Cardinal convicted of embezzlement in Vatican financial trial sentenced to 5 1/2 years (www.nbcnews.com)
Maersk to pause all container ship traffic through the Red Sea (www.cnbc.com)
Danish shipping company A.P. Moller-Maersk will pause all container shipments through the Red Sea until further notice, a spokesperson for the company told Reuters on Friday....
China accused of using sonic weapon against US ally (www.newsweek.com)
China’s maritime patrol ships deployed a suspected sonic weapon against Philippine government vessels on Saturday as they sought to obstruct a Philippines supply mission....
Putin orders soldiers to intensify attacks before Russian presidential elections (www.telegraph.co.uk)
Russians banned from travel to hand over passports within five days: Decree | The Straits Times (www.straitstimes.com)
Six French teenagers convicted in connection with 2020 beheading of teacher Paty (www.reuters.com)
A French court on Friday convicted six teenagers in connection with the 2020 beheading of history teacher Samuel Paty, whose murder shocked the country....
